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Red & Blue Bowl

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Red & Blue Bowl
SportCanadian University football
Teams
  • Toronto Varsity Blues
  • York Lions
First meetingSeptember 14, 1970 Toronto 36, York 0
Latest meetingOctober 6, 2023 Toronto 57, York 3
Next meetingSeptember 21, 2024
StadiumsVarsity Stadium York Lions Stadium
TrophyArgo Cup
Statistics
Meetings total55
All-time recordToronto leads 35-20
Largest victoryToronto 70, York 0
Longest win streakToronto, 14 (1970-1983)
Current win streakToronto, 4 (2021-present

The Red & Blue Bowl is an annual Canadian football rivalry game between the University of Toronto Varsity Blues and the York University Lions.[1] The rivalry stems from the two programs being separated by only 18.7 km (11.6 miles), and that they are the only two OUA schools in Toronto to support football.[2]

Since 1992, the winner of the Red & Blue Bowl takes homes the Argo Cup.[3] The Varsity Blues lead the series 35-20.[4]

 
The Argo Cup

Series History

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While the Varsity Blues' history dates back to 1861, the Lions' did not field a football team for another century, beginning in 1969.[5][6] Despite calling the same city home, Toronto and York competed in different leagues. While the storied Varsity Blues program played against other historic teams like the Western Mustangs and Queens' Golden Gaels, the newly formed York Yeomen played other Ontario teams like the Waterloo Warriors and Ottawa Gee-Gees.[7] The Red & Blue Bowl was first played for in 1970 at Varsity Stadium as an exhibition game for bragging rights of the city.[8] In 1971, the two teams met for in-conference play for the first time.

As a series that has been defined by streaks, the Varsity Blues dominated the Lions early on in the series, winning 23 of the first 26 Red & Blue Bowls. This includes 14 consecutive victories to begin the rivalry. York first took home bragging rights of the city in 1984 when they went to Varsity Stadium and won 44-20. After 1995, The Varsity Blues program struggled to match the success it had seen in the decades prior, and the Lions capitalized.[9] York took home the Argo Cup every season from 1996-2007, rattling off 13 straight wins. Since then, Toronto has taken control of the rivalry once more, winning 12 of the last 16 matchups.

In all meetings, Toronto holds a 35-20 lead over York. This includes two exhibition games in 1970 & 1972. The Blues and Lions met twice in 1996 and 2021. In these years, the Argo Cup was only contested once. York won both matches in 1996 while Toronto beat York twice in 2021.[10][11]

Game results

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Year Site Winning team Score Losing team Score Series tally Notes
1970 Varsity Stadium Toronto 36 York 0 TOR 1–0 First Red & Blue Bowl (Ex.)
1971 Varsity Stadium Toronto 24 York 12 TOR 2-0 First official game
1972 CNE Stadium Toronto 14 York 7 TOR 3-0 Exhibition
1973 CNE Stadium Toronto 42 York 19 TOR 4-0
1974 CNE Stadium Toronto 26 York 7 TOR 5-0
1975 Varsity Stadium Toronto 56 York 0 TOR 6-0
1976 Varsity Stadium Toronto 34 York 2 TOR 7-0
1977 Varsity Stadium Toronto 28 York 6 TOR 8-0
1978 York Toronto 20 York 0 TOR 9-0
1979 Varsity Stadium Toronto 22 York 0 TOR 10-0
1980 Varsity Stadium Toronto 37 York 20 TOR 11-0
1981 Varsity Stadium Toronto 39 York 9 TOR 12-0
1982 Varsity Stadium Toronto 21 York 14 TOR 13-0
1983 Varsity Stadium Toronto 49 York 7 TOR 14-0
1984 Varsity Stadium York 44 Toronto 20 TOR 14-1
1985 Varsity Stadium York 17 Toronto 7 TOR 14-2
1986 Varsity Stadium York 24 Toronto 23 TOR 14-3
1987 Varsity Stadium Toronto 36 York 7 TOR 15-3
1988 Varsity Stadium Toronto 18 York 12 TOR 16-3
1989 Varsity Stadium Toronto 27 York 9 TOR 17-3
1990 Varsity Stadium Toronto 38 York 0 TOR 18-3
1991 Varsity Stadium Toronto 65 York 7 TOR 19-3
1992 Varsity Stadium Toronto 40 York 3 TOR 20-3 First year of the Argo Cup
1993 Varsity Stadium Toronto 42 York 20 TOR 21-3 Toronto later won the Vanier Cup
1994 Varsity Stadium Toronto 26 York 1 TOR 22-3
1995 Varsity Stadium Toronto 20 York 14 TOR 23-3
1996 Varsity Stadium York 15 Toronto 12 TOR 23-4
1996 York Stadium York 31 Toronto 3 TOR 23-5 1996 Red & Blue Bowl
1997 Varsity Stadium York 17 Toronto 7 TOR 23-6
1998 Varsity Stadium York 15 Toronto 9 TOR 23-7
1999 Varsity Stadium York 47 Toronto 1 TOR 23-8
2000 York Stadium York 23 Toronto 3 TOR 23-9
2001 York Stadium York 33 Toronto 10 TOR 23-10
2002 Birchmount Stadium York 14 Toronto 6 TOR 23-11
2003 York Stadium York 66 Toronto 7 TOR 23-12
2004 Varsity Stadium York 45 Toronto 41 TOR 23-13
2005 Varsity Stadium York 40 Toronto 33 TOR 23-14 Only overtime in rivalry history
2006 York Stadium York 39 Toronto 11 TOR 23-15
2007 York Stadium York 21 Toronto 20 TOR 23-16
2008 Varsity Stadium Toronto 58 York 7 TOR 24-16
2009 York Stadium Toronto 45 York 27 TOR 25-16
2010 Varsity Stadium Toronto 24 York 19 TOR 26-16
2011 York Stadium Toronto 10 York 8 TOR 27-16
2012 Varsity Stadium York 36 Toronto 24 TOR 27-17
2013 York Stadium Toronto 56 York 35 TOR 28-17 Highest scoring game
2014 Varsity Stadium Toronto 70 York 0 TOR 29-17 Biggest blowout
2015 York Stadium Toronto 40 York 3 TOR 30-17
2016 Varsity Stadium Toronto 45 York 18 TOR 31-17
2017 Alumni Field York 41 Toronto 16 TOR 31-18
2018 Varsity Stadium York 31 Toronto 15 TOR 31-19 50th meeting
2019 Alumni Field York 34 Toronto 14 TOR 31-20
2021 Varsity Stadium Toronto 25 York 2 TOR 32-20 2021 Red & Blue Bowl
2021 York Lions Stadium Toronto 41 York 7 TOR 33-21
2022 Varsity Stadium Toronto 39 York 7 TOR 34-20
2023 York Lions Stadium Toronto 57 York 3 TOR 35-20

See also

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  1. ^ "RED & BLUE BOWL". York University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-06-26.
  2. ^ "Football". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. ^ "RED & BLUE BOWL". York University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-06-26.
  4. ^ "Head to Head Records Toronto vs OUA Schools as of December 2023 (PDF)" (PDF). University of Toronto Athletics. Retrieved 2024-06-26.
  5. ^ "Football History". University of Toronto Athletics. Retrieved 2024-06-26.
  6. ^ "From Rugby to Football: The History of Canadian Football". www.communitystories.ca. Retrieved 2024-06-26.
  7. ^ "From Rugby to Football: The History of Canadian Football". www.communitystories.ca. Retrieved 2024-06-26.
  8. ^ "From Rugby to Football: The History of Canadian Football". www.communitystories.ca. Retrieved 2024-06-26.
  9. ^ "All Time Game Results as of December 2023 (PDF)" (PDF). University of Toronto Athletics. Retrieved 2024-06-29.
  10. ^ "RED & BLUE BOWL". York University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-06-29.
  11. ^ "Head to Head Records Toronto vs OUA Schools as of December 2023 (PDF)" (PDF). University of Toronto Athletics. Retrieved 2024-06-29.